Thursday, December 5, 2013

Boston ABC Dining, Letter A: Anthem Kitchen and Bar

“In Boston they ask, how much does he know? In New York, how much is he worth? In Philadelphia, who were his parents?”

~Mark Twain

Though parts of Twain's quote still ring true, Boston has come a long way since his time. Bostonian food culture in particular has rapidly evolved over the past few years. As an avid foodie, I appreciate the diverse cuisine and expert chefs who have slowly crept in and settled into Bean Town.

Boston Alphabet (ABC) Dining

Last year, I made a New Years resolution to dine at new San Francisco Restaurants - from A all the way to Z. As an SF native, Alphabet Dining allowed me to branch out and visit restaurants outside of my usual neighborhoods and comfort zone. Now that I have relocated to Boston, I want to experience the best cuisine the city has to offer. I will be administering a second phase of Alphabet Dining, this time focused on -you guessed it- Boston!

This should be a treat for those reading- after all, Boston is rich with US History, a great melding of the past and present. With quaint cobblestone roads and looming skyscrapers, the Hub is certainly an interesting city to behold. So follow me on my foodventures as we embark on the second leg of our Alphabet Dining Journey, in Boston, Massachusetts.

Anthem Kitchen and Bar

Anthem Kitchen & Bar

We begin at Anthem Kitchen & Bar for letter A of Boston ABC Dining. Located beside Quincy Market in Downtown Boston, Anthem manages an antique feel with a modern flair. The trees around Quincy are lighted for the holidays, and just around the corner is a colossal Christmas tree, all of which adds a magical feel to the area.

Anthem is situated inside a charming red brick building, with an old gas lamp directly outside and yet a modern slanted glass patio area to dine in. To me this perfectly encapsulates the feel of Boston: an old-time feel next to a modern twist and evolution.

Margherita Pizza & Fresh Orange Juice

We ate lunch inside the beautiful glass-walled patio by the bar. Above our table floated an enormous old brass lamp. The ground was covered in cobblestones to match the street outside. The ambiance was comfortable yet sophisticated, and the patrons were all well-dressed business men and women from nearby offices.

I ordered the Margherita Flatbread, with house made mozzarella, san marzano tomato sauce, and fresh basil. The pizza was served on a wood peel, adding a rustic touch which I loved. My favorite part was the bread itself. The crust was fluffy and soft, even though it was a relatively thin-crusted flatbread.

I'm torn on the service at Anthem. The hostess was speedy and friendly, as was our main waitress. In fact, our main waitress may have hovered a bit too much. Despite this, oddly, our food took quite a while to come. After a while a restaurant runner approached with my order and a steak sandwich, apologizing profusely for the wait. Unfortunately my dining companion did not order a steak sandwich, but the special for the day - a truffle-stuffed burger. The runner eventually found it, and all was well, but by that time my pizza had cooled down quite a bit. All in all, the food and decor was good but the service was lacking. I would recommend a visit if you're in the area, but it's not a place you need to go out of your way to dine at.